Mon-Fri: 8 AM – 6 PM
Sat-Sun: Closed

(651) 490-0991
1248 Cope Ave. East,
Maplewood, MN, 55109, US

Meet Our Team

Dr. John Lillie Jr., DVM

Veterinarian & Founder (Retired)

Practicing Veterinary Medicine Since 1973

Education: University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, Colorado State University

Dr. John C. Lillie, Jr. is the founder of Keller Lake Animal Hospital. He started the clinic in 1990 to fulfill his desire to spend more time one-on-one with each of his patients. Previously, he was a partner and co-owner of another small animal hospital in the Twin Cities.

Dr. Lillie received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Michigan, his Doctorate degree of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, and completed his Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Internship at Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine. His special Veterinary interests are in Surgery and Advanced Dentistry, in which he continues to further his studies.

Dr. Lillie has enjoyed serving on the Board of Directors of the Animal Emergency Clinic in St. Paul, and on the Board of Directors and as President of Animal Emergency Veterinary Services in Minneapolis. Dr. Lillie has also served on the Board of Directors for the Ramsey County Humane Society, and he is currently on the Board of Directors of the Veterinary Hospital Association and has served as its President for the past 12 years. Dr Lillie is also on a committee of the Minnesota Veterinary Medical Foundation which raises money for student scholarships in veterinary medicine.

Dr. Lillie is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Animal Hospital Association, the American Veterinary Dental Society, the Cornell Feline Medicine Society, and the Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association, of which he is also a committee member and sponsor. Dr. Lillie is on the Deans Advisory Committee to the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. He volunteers his time and veterinary expertise to the French Bulldog Rescue Network, which his daughter is actively involved in.

Dr. Lillie lives with his wife Jan. He loves to spend time with his three children, four grandchildren, and three grand-dogs. In his spare time, he enjoys the outdoors by canoeing, biking, fishing and playing golf. He also loves to read and travel.

+ more

Dr. Melissa DeWoskin

Veterinarian & Medical Director

Practicing Veterinary Medicine Since 1998

Education: Loyola University of New Orleans, University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine

Dr. Melissa DeWoskin joined the Keller Lake team in 2001. She graduated from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine in 1998. After a one-year hiatus in 2017 from veterinary medicine, Dr. Melissa has since returned to Keller Lake and is now the Medical Director.

Dr. Melissa is a member of the AVMA, MVMA, and AAHA. She has a strong interest in animal behavior and behavior medicine. In 2017, she attended and graduated from the Victoria Stilwell’s Dog Training Academy. She enjoys using what she has learned to make each veterinary experience for her patients as great as it can be.

Dr. Melissa lives in Stillwater with her human family, two dogs, and one cat. In her spare time, Dr. Melissa enjoys reading, playing with her children, hiking, and working in the yard.

+ more

Dr. Josh

Veterinarian

Josh completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota while he also worked at the University’s Veterinary Hospital. His veterinary degree was attained from Ross University, and he then interned at Sonora Veterinary Specialists in Arizona. For the last 11 years, Josh has worked as a veterinarian at the Animal Humane Society where he provided medical care and surgical care for animals on their road to a new adoptive home. His special interests include wound care and surgery.

Josh lives in White Bear Lake with his wife and 10-year-old daughter. He has two dogs and one cat, all adopted while he was working at the humane society. He enjoys almost any outdoor activity including hiking, bird watching, hunting, fishing, skating, and even snow shoveling. We’ve never met someone who loves winter at much as Josh! He especially loves hockey! Josh joined our team at Keller Lake in December of 2021, and we’re very happy to have him here!

+ more

Angela Tima

Veterinary Technician & Hospital Administrator

Joined the Keller Lake Team in 2000

Angie began her career in Veterinary medicine in 1994 and became a member of the Keller Lake Animal Hospital team in 2000. She is a member of the American Animal Hospital Association. Her special veterinary interests are dentistry, canine behavior, dog training, and strengthening the human-animal bond. Angie continues to further her education and training in these areas.

Angie’s role at Keller Lake Animal Hospital is Hospital Administrator. She loves working and building relationships with clients and patients, as well as helping new puppy owners with basic training tips.  Angie is always happy to help assist you with any questions you may have!

Angie shares her home with her husband Don, and their four dogs. She enjoys hiking along the Gunflint Trail, gardening, reading, and cooking.

+ more

Kim Borden

Veterinary Technician

Joined the Keller Lake Team in 2002

Education: University of Minnesota

Kim received her Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science from the University of Minnesota. She has been part of the Keller Lake Animal Hospital team since 2002.  Her special Veterinary interests include client education in which she is very thorough. She is also a great resource on pet weight loss, and she is known at Keller Lake for her expertise in this area. If you have an overweight pet, Kim will help you guide your pet to a healthy weight! Kim also enjoys working in the lab and assisting with surgeries.  Kim is a member of the American Animal Hospital Association.

Since Kim was a young girl she has had a passion for taking care of animals. She enjoys the outdoors and spends most of her spare time with her pets. She lives with her husband Derek, and her furry family. Her dog named River and five cats Blue, Dodge, Viper, Siren and Isis.

+ more

Luda Traun

Veterinary Assistant

Joined Keller Lake in 2021

Luda began her work with animals at an animal hospital in Cottage Grove where she worked as a customer service representative. In her work there she was an integral part of the support and administrative dynamics of the clinic, as well as an assistant to the veterinary technicians and the animals directly. Luda has always had a passion for animals ever since she was a little girl, and continues to strive to help animals. She loves going to shelters and rescues to play with the animals and give them lots of love. She does not have a pet of her own at the moment, but hopes to get one really soon!

Outside of work, Luda love to hang out with family and friends, go biking and hiking and just try to enjoy life to the fullest. She is very excited to grow in her role here at Keller Lake Animal Hospital.

Cassey Samuelson

Veterinary Assistant

Joined the Keller Lake Team in 2020

Cassey previously worked as a veterinary assistant at a clinic in Oklahoma while in high school and fell in love with the veterinary field. Shortly after she graduated high school, she went into the Army as an intelligence analyst, however as life tends to throw curveballs she was injured during a training incident and discharged. A few short years after she found herself longing to be back in her home state, so here she is! Coming back into the veterinary field has fueled my passion for pursuing a degree in veterinary technology and she would like to specialize in animal behavior.

Outside of work, she loves spending time with her son, Oliver, her family, and her big fluffy cat, Smooch. Hiking, fishing, canoeing are a favorite when she is able to make the time. At home, she loves to cook, work on vehicles, garden, and watch history and crime documentaries!

Dani Johnson

Receptionist

Dani has been with Keller Lake since the fall of 2018. She fell into the veterinary field by accident back in 2015 after working in human medicine and has never looked back. Purely by luck, she says she found a career she loves and can say it is truly rewarding and feels like home. With over 15+ years of experience in customer service, she is happy to not only advocate for pet owners but also the animals themselves! You can often find her feeding plenty of delicious snacks or welcoming all the guests with smiles and warmth.

Outside of work, she enjoys doing any and everything animal-related. She enjoys reading, spending time with friends and family, and puzzles. She’s almost always with her French Bulldog Kimbo which whom she is absolutely obsessed, and he keeps her on her toes!

“Meeting new people and building relationships with them and their pets, along with helping in any way I can to better both of their veterinary experiences is the most rewarding part of my job. From having like-minded coworkers that have become family, to amazing clients and patients that turn into friends, I consider myself very lucky to come to work every day!”

Kailey

Joined the Keller Lake Team in 2021

Kailey has been involved with dogs her whole life. She helped her grandmother breed, raise, and show champion Shih Tzu for 25 years. Graduated from Globe University in 2008 with an associates degree in Veterinary Technology.

In her down time, she and her husband Luke enjoy spending time camping and hiking with their 4 dogs. Zoey the Australian shepherd, Howie the border collie mix, Cinnamon the Miniature American Shepherd, and Bender the whippet mix. All 4 dogs compete in flyball and dock diving locally as well as around the Midwest. She also enjoys crafting and listening to crime/murder podcasts.

Ashanti

Ashanti graduated from Argosy University in 2016. She has been working at Keller Lake since December 2021. As a child she was always drawn to animals and in 2013 she made the difficult decision to leave an upper management position to pursue her dreams of becoming a veterinary technician. She has a passion for preventative dental health and can walk you through the steps of positive, stress-free oral care at home.

She currently lives in St. Paul with her husband and 8-year-old Cavalier King Charles named Salvador — “Sal” — and has 2 children. In her downtime she loves to read, cross-stitch, and geocache. She calls herself a “state park junkie” in that she enjoys hiking and has been to almost all of the Minnesota state parks.

“I feel blessed and happy that I’ve found Keller Lake. They treat ALL PETS and clients like family.”